Boston

Craigie on Main

A casual environment with truly exquisite food. Chef Tony Maws changes his menu every single day depending on what’s inspiring and seasonal at the moment. He only cooks roughly a dozen of his memorable burgers each night, so get there early and put your order in.

Photo courtesy of Michael Piazza for Craige on Main

Mistral

Mistral is eternally popular for dinner, but we like coming for brunch when the light floods through the floor-to-ceiling windows — and makes for great people watching. Order the lemon poppyseed pancakes with berries and ricotta.

Photo courtesy of Mistral

Hamersley's Bistro

The mood at this bistro is very South of France — with yellow walls, topiaries,
and wood-beamed ceilings — but the food is pure New England. Think traditional seafood dishes with an unexpected twist, like spicy halibut with clam roast and cider-braised pork with nutmeg.

Neptune Oyster

In a town known for seafood, this is the go-to spot for the ultimate gourmet Lobster Roll. We like ours in a warm brioche bun with melted butter, but you can also order it sans roll (we’re looking at you, gluten-free friends).

Photo courtesy of Alice and Jared Zhao, Zhao Photography

J.P. Licks

With its cold New England winters you might not expect Boston to be an ice cream city, but on the contrary it has some of the best creameries anywhere. We love J.P. Licks for its grab-bag of flavors, from classic Oreos and cream to combinations you’ve never even dreamed of like tomato basil and cream stout (as in beer).

No. 9 Park

Of the three dining rooms at Barbara Lynch’s Italian-French restaurant, we prefer the casual café and bar where you get more face time with the knowledgeable servers. Make sure to ask about your wine pairing — the bartenders are like sommeliers.